


By the Sacred Flame

by Treekianthia



Category: Octopath Traveler (Video Game)
Genre: (No I am not crazy), (Yes you read that ship right), Comfort, F/M, Post-Canon, endgame spoilers, rare pair hell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-10-16 10:27:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17547950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Treekianthia/pseuds/Treekianthia
Summary: A year after finishing her travels, Ophilia has adjusted back to her life in the church. Though she has come to spend many nights alone due to her duties, there is one night where both she and someone in need find themselves praying to the Sacred Flame together.





	By the Sacred Flame

**Author's Note:**

> When I say endgame spoilers, I really mean endgame spoilers. If you know nothing about Kit or the Daughter of the Dark God quests, then this will spoil a lot, no matter how little is said. You have been warned.

Late night visitors were common to Flamegrace’s church. Travelers from all across Orsterra would pass through the snowy town, with many arriving in the late evening or even the middle of the night. In order to give shelter to those who wished to pray to the flame, the church kept its doors open at all hours of the day. A priest or cleric would stand present at the flame, leading the travelers in prayer when requested. It was a quiet task, but an important one.

Ophilia found enjoyment in being the one to stand by the flame at night. Though it could be boring at times, many of the people whom she met had interesting stories to share. Sometimes they were merchants traveling through the area, and other times they were a lonely being who was trying to find themselves. Very rarely, she would also encounter strangers who came and left without saying a word at all. No matter their origin or goal, however, they had all come for the same reason: they all wished for the Sacred Flame to guide them somewhere.

It was a cold night when Ophilia sat praying to Aelfric and the flame. Many months had passed since her travels had ended, and she and her sister had both returned to their duties. Since the passing of Archbishop Josef, they had both taken on important duties for the church. While Lianna led the people in her father’s place, Ophilia made sure the flame burned ever brightly. She did this through her prayers, which she found easier to do during the middle of the night where she couldn’t be interrupted.

The snow was heavy outside, and no traveler had set foot in the church. Ophilia was alone, the only noise being the sound of the flame as it burned and the thoughts in her head. She prayed to Aelfric for safety, for a good harvest in the towns to the south, and fair winds for travelers on the sea. After all she had gone through, it was the happiness of others that she truly wanted to see in the world. She wanted everything to continue to be at peace.

When she finished her prayer, there was a sound. The church’s doors had been opened, and footsteps started echoing in the cathedral. Looking from the pews, Ophilia could see a hooded figure walking towards the flame. They were covered in snow and looked to be freezing. The cleric wondered how long they had been out in such bad weather.

Staying quiet, Ophilia watched the figure as they reached the altar. Though visitors could not truly get close to the sacred flame, they could watch it from a distance. The figure clasped their hands together in prayer and stayed silent. It was a long prayer, as minutes passed without the figure even moving. Ophilia wondered if they were alright.

“Ex.. Excuse me,” Ophilia spoke as she went to stand up. “Is everything alright, traveler? You’ve been standing there for a while now, and I was wondering if there was something you needed help with.”

The figure looked over, their hood obscuring their face. “Ah, no, but thank you,” they said. “I only wished to pray to Aelfric for guidance, but my prayer was starting to get off track.”

Ophilia nodded knowingly. “My apologies for interrupting you,” she said in response. For some reason, the traveler’s voice sounded familiar. She couldn’t quite place where she had heard it before though.

“Um… You’re Ophilia Clement, right?” the traveler asked. “The Cleric who performed the kindling?”

“Oh, yes! That is correct!” the cleric immediately responded. “Were you perhaps looking for me?”

The hooded figure shook their head. “Ah, no, but we’ve met before. You and your companions actually helped me a great deal about a year ago,” they explained. Ophilia brought her hands close to her chest.

“I see! I’m glad to hear that our little band was able to help you out so much,” she cheerfully mentioned. She felt bad, however, as she had met so many people that she couldn’t be quite certain who it was she was speaking with. The hood made it difficult as well.

“Oh, you probably don’t recognize me with this hood, huh?” the traveler said as they scratched their cheek almost nervously. “Here, let me fix that for you.”

Ophilia gasped as the traveler brought their hood down- she recognized them immediately. “Kit! Is that you!?” she asked as she looked at the young man standing before her. His hair had gotten a bit longer and his clothing had changed, but it was definitely the young man she and her companions had saved from the Fallen God’s grasp.

The young man laughed slightly. “I’m a bit frozen, but it is me,” he responded. “I remembered that you were from Flamesgrace when I arrived here, but I wasn’t expecting to see you so late at night.”

Hands still clasped, Ophilia lowered them. “We always keep a priest or cleric on duty at night just in case travelers such as yourself come through. I tend to volunteer often as my duties to the flame happen to be easier when less people are around,” she explained. She was still trying to get over the initial shock of the young man showing up.

Kit nodded in understanding. “That makes sense. I know that from the brief times I met you, you took your duties as a cleric very seriously,” he mentioned. Ophilia smiled before turning towards the flame.

“The Sacred Flame is the physical embodiment of Aelfric’s protection. In order to keep it burning as it does, I pray to it and the god who gave it to us every day,” she continued explaining. “Even if humanity loses faith in the gods, my prayers will keep it from going out.”

“That’s… Incredible,” Kit said almost breathlessly. He seemed to be fascinated by Ophilia’s duties. The cleric turned back to him.

“What brings you to Flamesgrace?” she asked the young man. The last she had heard, he had gone back to traveling after finally learning what had happened to his father. She admired his courage and determination to keep moving forward after such a horrible loss.

“The flame, actually,” he answered. “As I said before, I came to pray to Aelfric for guidance. This was the closest church to the area I was in. I came here from Northreach.”

“Oh, I see! Is there any particular prayer you would like me to lead you in then, or do you feel the prayer you already gave will suffice?” Ophilia continued to ask. Though his prayer had been long, Kit himself had admitted it had gotten off track. Perhaps he needed to start over.

Kit turned his attention to the glowing embers before him. “My situation is… A bit complicated,” he admitted. “I’m not sure if there are any prayers that can truly solve my problem.”

Ophilia continued to smile softly. “I’m sure there’s something that I and Aelfric can do to help,” she assured him. “Why don’t you tell me about your problem, and we’ll go from there.”

Kit’s gaze did not move from the flame. Ophilia could see the light reflecting in his eyes. He looked exhausted.

“...nightmares,” the traveler told her. “I have nightmares.”

“Nightmares?” Ophilia reiterated in hopes of clarification. Though this wasn’t the first time she had heard such a thing, she wondered what they could possibly be about.

Kit gave a small nod before continuing. “Nightmares about Galdera. He calls to me and taunts me, saying that if I free him, he’ll return my mother and father to the world of the living. Sometimes, I wonder if it’s really him or if it’s just my head stirring up the memories I have.”

Ophilia began to frown. “Oh Kit, I’m so sorry… That must be terrible,” she said as she went to place her hand on his shoulder. He felt cold, but if it was from his time in the snow or something else she did not know. It was almost as if he were a ghost.

“I came here to ask Aelfric if they could rid me of them. To let me have a good night sleep for once,” he explained. “They started a few months after you saved me, and I’ve had them almost every night since.”

 _The poor man…_  He must have been suffering so much. Ophilia had the occasional nightmare about Mattias, and Lianna ones about Archbishop Josef’s death. They were frightening and upsetting, but they would come to pass once the morning came. The cleric couldn’t imagine having to deal with something so horrible every night. She wanted to help Kit in whatever way she could.

“Allow me to lead you in prayer, then. I’m sure if we pray together, Aelfric will surely listen,” Ophilia tried to convince the young man. Though she couldn’t fully guarantee Aelfric would answer them, she wanted to give Kit some comfort. He seemed to really need it.

Kit returned his attention to the young woman. “Thank you, Ophilia. I really appreciate it,” he said before smiling sadly. Ophilia saw a stray tear fall down his cheek. It hurt her heart to see him so upset; she had always considered him to be a very nice young man.

“Then let us begin…”

Ophilia stood next to Kit before they both clasped their hands together in prayer. The young cleric shifted her full focus to the Sacred Flame before closing her eyes and bowing her head. She felt the warmth of the flame against her skin and focused all her thoughts on the god that had gifted it to them. Next to her, Kit was surely doing the same. She cleared her throat.

“Our God Aelfric, the giver of the Sacred Flame,” Ophilia began. “I, Ophilia Clement, pray to you in the word of Kit Crossford, a humble traveler who seeks your aid.”

The flame crackled lightly and the warmth on Ophilia’s skin grew. She hoped it was a sign that Aelfric was listening. She wanted the prayer to be heard.

“Nightmares of Galdera, the Fallen God, have plagued Kit for many moons. He has suffered greatly due to them, and only wishes to be able to once again sleep at night. I ask of you to answer this prayer, and rid him of what haunts him. He has traveled across the far reaches of Orsterra to request this of you, and I feel he is worthy of your blessing,” the cleric finished. A noise rang out in front of them, and when Ophilia opened her eyes and looked up she could see the flame had begun to burn brighter. Before long, however, it dimmed down to what it had previously been.

“...do you think Aelfric heard us?” Kit asked as he continued to watch the flame. Ophilia looked up at him and nodded slightly.

“I think so, yes,” she told him, “But we will not know the results of our prayer for another few days. You are welcome to stay here until then if you’d like. We have many spare rooms for the use of priests.”

Kit turned to Ophilia and smiled slightly. “I’d appreciate that, thank you.” He looked gentle, and with the light of the flame, Ophilia noticed something else. He was rather handsome when he smiled.

In fact, Ophilia realized he was actually rather handsome in general. He wasn’t extremely tall, but he had quite a few inches on her. His eyes were a lovely shade of blue, and his features were quite nice. He was well dressed despite being covered in snow, and he carried himself rather well. It was a bit of a shock to her.

“...Ophilia? Are you okay? You’re staring at me…”

Ophilia blinked before blushing. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to!” she squeaked out before turning away. She held her face in her hands, and her cheeks were burning. She hadn’t realized what she had been doing.

There was a laugh from Kit. “It’s alright, I just wasn’t sure what you were doing,” he told her. “You were just sort of staring like there was something on my face.”

Ophilia’s blush deepened. “I-it was nothing!” she stammered. “I was just… Wondering what had caused your prayer to go off track originally is all!”

“Oh, that? It was nothing much,” he tried to convince her. Slowly, Ophilia peaked back around at him.

“I… Would still like to know,” she told him. Her cheeks were cooling off, but she surely still looked embarrassed. She was desperately trying to change the subject.

Kit scratched the back of his head. “I was just hoping that once my nightmares were gone, Aelfric would help me find a place to settle down. I’m not an apothecary like my father, but I very much want to be a family man like he was. I enjoy traveling, but I wouldn’t mind having a wife and kids of my own one day,” he admitted. Now it seemed he was the one beginning to blush.

Ophilia let out a small giggle before smiling brightly. “That’s honestly wonderful, Kit,” she told him. She could see his cheeks turn a slightly darker shade of pink. He tried his best to smile.

“My father and mother told me to make the best of the life I was given, and honestly for me, having a family is what would really make my life perfect,” he told her in response. His smile was soft, and he seemed happy telling Ophilia about his dreams.

“There’s no shame in asking Aelfric for such a thing. As humans created by the gods, we should all strive to live in a way that makes us happy,” she assured him. “For me, my happiness is being able to share moments like this by the Sacred Flame.”

“I’m glad that even after all you’ve been through, you can still find happiness,” Kit mentioned. “It must be nice having a place to stay and a purpose to fulfill.”

Ophilia placed a hand on her chest. “And I’m sure one day you will too. Aelfric and the flame are here to guide you, and I know that one day that you will find the place you feel you truly belong.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right,” Kit said as he nodded in agreement. “Perhaps even if my nightmares no longer persist, I’ll stay here a bit longer than planned to see if Aelfric gives me some sort of sign of where to go next.”

Ophilia’s smile widened. “I think that’s a lovely idea. I’d also enjoy your company if you wish to stay with me at night,” she told him. Perhaps then, she’d also be able to get to know the young man better. She would enjoy being friends with him.

“I would like that… But for now I’d like to see if I can manage to sleep through the night. There’s already been so many others where I’ve been stuck awake that I don’t know how much longer I can do it for,” Kit said before eyeing the flame again. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’d like to sit and watch the flame a bit longer until I get tired.”

“Of course, stay as long as you need,” Ophilia responded before gazing towards the young man’s hand. Hesitantly, she reached out and took it in hers. “And if you need anything more, do not hesitate to ask me.”

Turning to Ophilia, Kit smiled once more, holding her hand tight. “Thank you, Ophilia. You truly are a kind and wonderful person, and I’m thankful for the help you’ve given me.”

Together, Kit and Ophilia passed a rather uneventful night. No other travelers dared to brave the snow and enter the church, and the two spoke of their adventures without interruption. In time, Ophilia’s eyes grew heavy, and she could hear Kit becoming tired as well. They were not done talking, however, and she continued to speak through the drowsiness. She felt comfort in his presence.

It was not until Lianna woke her in the morning that Ophilia realized that she had fallen asleep with her head on Kit’s shoulder. The young man had slept soundly, and even dreamt of his parents. He seemed well rested, and even joked that Ophilia should not make sleeping at the pews a habit. She told him not to worry, as he had already volunteered to keep her awake by joining her at night. He would become responsible for well being.

_Little did they know, however, that it would not be the last time they slept softly by the Sacred Flame..._

**Author's Note:**

> If you're reading this, I'd like to personally thank you for taking the time to read my self indulgent fic for a pairing that only me and one other person will ever make content for. I honestly think that due to stuff established in canon (Ophilia being a cleric of Aelfric's Sacred Flame and Kit being connected to Galdera), that these two could have a rather interesting dynamic. This fic was actually an excuse for me to explore that dynamic, albeit... Me not actually having beaten the game yet oops.
> 
> I make due with what I have for the greater good of my shippy needs.
> 
> (KitPhilia is really cute okay)


End file.
